Table soccer apparatus wherein figurines are mounted on metal tapes

ABSTRACT

A miniature game of table soccer. The table top has a miniature soccer playing field thereon on which a plurality of figurine soccer players are moved into playing positions in respective zones. The figurines are mounted on end portions of respective metal tapes that can be individually advanced longitudinally and retracted and are individually transported transversely of the playing field. Manually actuated actuators advance and retract the tapes and move them transversely of the playing field zones for transporting the figurine soccer players individually into respective playing positions for kicking or throwing a playing ball. Goals and goalkeepers are provided. The goalkeeper soccer players are actuated individually likewise by respective tapes.

United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,881,726 Serafini May 6, 1975 [541 TABLE SOCCER APPARATUS WHEREIN Primary Examiner-Richard c. Pinkham FIGURINES ARE MOUNTED ON METAL TAPES Inventor: Glauco Serafini, Via Pippo Tamburri 4, Rome, Italy Filed: Dec. 28, 1973 Appl. No.2 429,684

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data .Ian. 3, I973 47509/73 {52] US. Cl 273/85 F [51] Int. Cl. A63f 7/05 [58] Field of Search 273/94, 85

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,342,490 9/l967 Payne 273/85 F 3,80l,l00 4/l974 Lebron 273/85 F Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert E. Burns; Emmanual .I. Lobato; Bruce L. Adams [57] ABSTRACT A miniature game of table soccer. The table top has a miniature soccer playing field thereon on which a plurality of figurine soccer players are moved into playing positions in respective zones. The figurines are mounted on end portions of respective metal tapes that can be individually advanced longitudinally and retracted and are individually transported transversely of the playing field. Manually actuated actuators advance and retract the tapes and move them transversely of the playing field zones for transporting the figurine soccer players individually into respective playing positions for kicking or throwing a playing ball. Goals and goalkeepers are provided. The goalkeeper soccer players are actuated individually likewise by respective tapes.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEBHAY sms 3, 1,726

sum 10F 3 minnow B'QYS SHEET 30$ 3 FIG. 4

TABLE SOCCER APPARATUS WHEREIN FIGURINES ARE MOUNTED ON METAL TAPES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to miniature games of skill and more particularly to a miniature table soccer game.

Known table soccer games have a limitation in that the soccer players are constructed as figurines that can be moved in two opposite directions only relative to the playing field. They can be moved back and forth transversely of the field or back and forth relative to the goals. This limits the playing positions the figurines can assume and the plays that can be executed by the individual soccer players.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a miniature table soccer game in which the individual soccer players are capable of movement forwardly and rearwardly relative to the goals and transversely thereof or both movements simultaneously in respective playing zones of the playing field.

Another object is to provide a miniature table soccer game in which the soccer players thereof can be actuated to carry out harmonious team play. Depending upon the skill of the game participants the individual figurine soccer players can kick the playing ball in all directions, check an opponent, cover and'shoot into a goal thus creating all the environmental conditions which are present on a true soccer field.

The table soccer game comprises a table in which its top defines a miniature soccer playing field. The playing field is defined by plates offset vertically to define transverse slots along adjacent plates through which individual tapes are advanced longitudinally and retracted over corresponding plates defining a playing zone and moved on a carriage transversely of the playing field or table top corresponding zone. The individual tapes are advanced and retracted and moved laterally by manually actuated actuators. The individual tapes transport on a free end thereof a corresponding figurine representative of a soccer player.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of the miniature table soccer game according to the invention will appear from the following description of an example of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims and drawings in which:

FIG. I is a side elevation view of a miniature table soccer game according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view partly cut-away and in section of the table soccer game in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross section on an enlarged scale of a part of the table soccer game in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view partly cut-away and on an enlarged scale of the table soccer game in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view on an enlarged scale of an actuator and a tape thereon according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As can be seen in FIG. 1 a table soccer game according to the invention has a table top defining a miniature soccer playing field with the proper markings and goals at opposite ends thereof. The table top is made of a plurality of plates 1. Some of these are narrower than the others and underlie the wider ones. The plates are offset vertically so that narrow horizontal slits are formed between the adjacent plates. These slits extend transversely across the width of the table top. These wider plates and an adjoining narrower plate define separate playing areas or zones in the soccer playing field.

A plurality of flexible metal tapes 2 are provided with a mounting element 3 on a free end thereof for mounting a figurine threaded thereon and constituting a soccer player. These soccer players are removably mounted on a corresponding tape and are exchangeable so that different figurines or teams can be mounted on the tapes. A frame or wall 4 made of transparent plastic encloses the table top or miniature soccer playing field.

The tapes are flexible enough to be coiled and rigid enough so that they can be advanced longitudinally in the direction of a leading free end or end portion thereof shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2 as an arrowhead. The tapes are retractable longitudinally and are movable transversely across the table in a corresponding one of the slits before described. The tapes are each coiled on a respective pulley 6. Actuation means are provided for actuating these tapes 2.

Thus a plurality of manually actuated tape actuators are provided and each have a handle 5. The individual actuators are axially movable transversely of the table and constitute tubes 7 movable along rod guides 8. The rod guides 8 extend across the table and are fixed thereon spaced in positions extending parallel to each other and spaced from each along the length of the table or playing field as illustrated.

Each pulley 6 has a center hole 8 through which a corresponding tube 7 extends and the pulley is secured thereto at one end by a set screw 9. The opposite ends of the individual tubes 7 extend through a side of the table and have the handles 5 secured thereto for rotating the tubes to advance and retract the corresponding tapes 2 on the respective pulleys 6 and to move them axially of the guide rods.

Each pulley groove has a screw 10 that secures a corresponding tape 2 coiled thereon. Each pulley is mounted on a respective carriage each constituting a frame 11 which has guide rollers 12 rotatably mounting the corresponding pulley. These guide rollers are mounted at the four corners of the carriage by bolts 13 and a threaded nut 14. The carriage frames rest on a lower surface I5 of the table and are movable transversely of the table below the table top or playing field as the actuators 5, 7 are actuated axially.

A similarly constructed actuation means or mechanism 16 is provided at each end of the table. These mechanisms each mount a pulley with a tape coiled thereon and a carriage and actuator tube for actuating a corresponding goalkeeper figurine. The actuators on these end mechanisms have two handles 17 for manual actuation thereof.

The playing field is constructed so that the miniature soccer players can be moved to positions on the field to kick penalties and to throw a playing ball back in play. The figurines are exchangeable as to whether a particular figurine or soccer player is to throw the ball 3 back in play or be a player in a kicking condition or position.

it can be seen that the individual tapes, and therefore the miniature soccer players thereon, are movable longitudinally in opposite directions and transversely in the corresponding slits. This allows moving the soccer players to different positions to kick the ball. check an opponent and the like. It will be noted that the tapes slide axially over the plates of a respective zone and are arranged so that tapes move in an advancing direction in opposite directions so that opposing player figurines can be mounted in each zone. The slightly vertically staggered planes or plates 1 do not impede the movement of the tapes or the playing ball.

The possibility of moving the tapes longitudinally relative to the goals in opposite directions and transversely of the table or playing field in opposite directions allows oblique movements of the players so that they can kick the miniature playing ball and even apply a spin thereto. Most of the rules of a true soccer game may be applied to the game and a true game can be substantially simulated in miniature.

The extent of longitudinal advance of the tapes is restricted to the corresponding zones in which the figurine soccer players will play. Thus the screws mounting the tapes on their respective pulleys act as a stop or end-of-stroke device since they allow only a corresponding length of tape to be advanced and retracted by uncoiling and coiling of the tape by actuation or rotation of a handle 5 in opposite directions. The tapes are sufficiently rigid that they slide easily over the playing field zones and transversely thereof as the tubes 7 are actuated axially in opposite directions.

What I claim and desire to secure by letters patent:

l. A mechanical miniature table soccer game for playing a game of miniature soccer comprising, means defining a miniature soccer playing field, actuation means mounting a plurality of miniature soccer players individually in positions for playing in respective zones, said actuation means comprising a plurality of individually manually actuated actuators spaced between the goals of said playing field and underlying the playing field, guide means mounting the actuators individually for movement transversely of the playing field and rotationally, each actuator having a coilable tape movable forwardly longitudinally and backwardly relative to said goals in a corresponding one of said zones on said playing field and movable transversely thereof, a plurality of figurines defining said soccer players each mounted on the free end portion of a corresponding one of the tapes for movement forwardly and rearwardly and transversely of a corresponding zone, and a playing ball kicked and thrown by the individual players when actuated by the respective actuators and tapes.

2. A mechanical miniature table soccer game according to claim I, in which said actuation means includes plurality of pulleys, one pulley on each actuator and having a corresponding one of said tapes coiled thereon, said pulleys each being rotated by a corresponding actuator in a direction for uncoiling the tape thereon to advance it longitudinally and rotated in opposite direction for retracting the tape by coiling on the pulley.

3. A mechanical miniature table soccer game according to claim 2, including a plurality of carriages each mounting for rotation one of said pulleys, means securing said carriages to respective actuators for movement transversely of said playing field and below it in conjunction with the actuators.

4. A mechanical miniature table soccer game according to claim 2, in which each actuator comprises a tube mounting a respective one of said pulleys thereon, and in which said guide means mounting the actuators comprise a plurality of rods disposed beneath said playing field, parallel and spaced relative to said playing field goals, and said rods being disposed transversely of said playing field internally of the tubes comprising the actuators.

5. A mechanical miniature table soccer game according to claim 4, in-which said tapes are metallic, and means mounting the figurines individually on corresponding tapes comprising means for exchanging figurines on the individual tapes.

* l i l I. 

1. A mechanical miniature table soccer game for playing a game of miniature soccer comprising, means defining a miniature soccer playing field, actuation means mounting a plurality of miniature soccer players individually in positions for playing in respective zones, said actuation means comprising a plurality of individually manually actuated actuators spaced between the goals of said playing field and underlying the playing field, guide means mounting the actuators individually for movement transversely of the playing field and rotationally, each actuator having a coilable tape movable forwardly longitudinally and backwardly relative to said goals in a corresponding one of said zones on said playing field and movable transversely thereof, a plurality of figurines defining said soccer players each mounted on the free end portion of a corresponding one of the tapes for movement forwardly and rearwardly and transversely of a corresponding zone, and a playing ball kicked and thrown by the individual players when actuated by the respective actuators and tapes.
 2. A mechanical miniature table soccer game according to claim 1, in which said actuation means includes plurality of pulleys, one pulley on each actuator and having a corresponding one of said tapes coiled thereon, said pulleys each being rotated by a corresponding actuator in a direction for uncoiling the tape thereon to advance it longitudinally and rotated in opposite direction for retracting the tape by coiling on the pulley.
 3. A mechanical miniature table soccer game according to claim 2, including a plurality of carriages each mounting for rotation one of said pulleys, means securing said carriages to respective actuators for movement transversely of said playing field and below it in conjunction with the actuators.
 4. A mechanical miniature table soccer game according to claim 2, in which each actuator comprises a tube mounting a respective one of said pulleys thereon, and in which said guide means mounting the actuators comprise a plurality of rods disposed beneath said playing field, parallel and spaced relative to said playing field goals, and said rods being disposed transversely of said playing field internally of the tubes comprising the actuators.
 5. A mechanical miniature table soccer game according to claim 4, in which said tapes are metallic, and means mounting the figurines individually on corresponding tapes comprising means for exchanging figurines on the individual tapes. 